Clavijo raises concerns over lack of info on Russian ghost fleet passing the Canary Islands

The regional government has raised this issue with the central executive on several occasions, but no response has been received.

The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, has voiced his worry about the State’s lack of information regarding the transit of several vessels belonging to the so‑called “ghost fleet” route – a formation of roughly a thousand ships – through the archipelago’s waters.

In a parliamentary reply to a question from Raúl Acosta, deputy of the Agrupación Herreña Independiente, Clavijo explained that the regional government has repeatedly placed this matter on the central government’s agenda without obtaining any answer.

“It is a worrying matter because, when we have no information and do not know what is happening with the more than 1,000 ghost‑fleet vessels, we obviously cannot tell what kind of traffic is passing or under what conditions,” he said.

Clavijo added that many of these ships are likely old and could cause any type of spill or accident, which would directly impact our coasts, biodiversity, ecosystem, and our main economic activity – tourism.

He noted that the Canary Islands government has conveyed this concern to the Spanish government several times during the current legislature and has now had to address it in writing directly to the minister.

“Unfortunately, we have not yet received a response from the minister. We will keep insisting, we will wait, and at the next meeting that Counselor Pablo Rodríguez has with the Executive or with the minister or Secretary of State, we will put it on the table,” he continued.